


tell me what it's like to burn

by baechuzz



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Blood, Bottom Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Cults, Demon Summoning, Emotional Manipulation, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Psychological Horror, Self-Sacrifice, Top Mark Lee (NCT), Undertones of religious nature, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:09:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27168430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baechuzz/pseuds/baechuzz
Summary: “Where are we going?” Mark asked, longingly looking back at his parking car at the side of the road.“I’ve already told you,” Donghyuck answered, smiling back at him. Even the trickle of moonlight that so hardly penetrated the dense wall of leafage couldn't dim the sharpness of his smile. “It’ll be fun.”
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 3
Kudos: 53
Collections: Challenge #2 — tricks; treats; and terrors





	tell me what it's like to burn

“Where are we going?” Mark asked, longingly looking back at his parking car at the side of the road. 

“I’ve already told you,” Donghyuck answered, smiling back at him. Even the trickle of moonlight that so hardly penetrated the dense wall of leafage couldn't dim the sharpness of his smile. “It’ll be fun.”

Mark let himself be dragged along, inside the deeper parts of the forest. Pretty boys were always a weakness of his but a pretty boy filled with menace to the brim — Mark was setting himself up for this one. Donghyuck tightened his grip on their interwoven hands. 

“I don’t know if I trust your kind of fun, though," Mark mumbled. “At least you could tell me  _ where  _ we are going exactly. It’s giving me the creeps.”

The cold was sweeping through his jacket, numbing his fingers and kissing his cheeks into an angry red. His Converse shoes submerged in the mud. He wished for the warmth and dryness of his room, the TV on and Donghyuck in his arms. Instead, as foolish as he was, they were marching through the forest toward an undisclosed destination described as  _ 'fun' _ . 

"It would ruin the surprise." Donghyuck’s eyes twinkled with something Mark couldn't really put a finger on. But his hand was warm and solid in Mark's and at least, they were together. 

For a while, they just walked. Donghyuck gracefully navigated through the maze of trees while Mark tried to keep up with him. He stumbled on roots, his hair caught on branches. It was bugging him — how deep they were going, with only Donghyuck’s phone used as a flashlight shining ahead of them. 

The woods were uncharacteristically silent. Only their footsteps could be heard, along with Donghyuck’s delightful whistling and it was making him nervous.

“I can feel from here that you’re freaking out,” Donghyuck chirped. It was hard to see him, but Mark could imagine him — tousled caramel curls, a smug smile and pinked cheeks. He was beautiful in his mind, as he was always. Open and inviting, exactly what Mark needed. A bundle of warmth, a smart mouth that pulled him out of dark times and enchanted him.

Donghyuck stopped in front of him. He gently pushed his fingertips to Mark’s neck, checking his pulse.

“Why is it so fast?” he mumbled, disappointed. Mark felt bad for making him feel like that. “You know that I wouldn’t put you out for danger, right?”

“I know,” he said meekly.

“Do you, really? Do you trust me?”

Mark bit his lip and nodded. In the back of his mind, Renjun’s traitorous voice reminded him about Donghyuck. All the shit he dug up from a single Google search, about being the youth leader of a questionable organization. 

_ 'Bullshit,'  _ Donghyuck said to Renjun when he called him out.  _ 'I'm the youth leader because they give free food, and it looked good on my college application. And the shadiest thing the organization ever did was buying discounted cookies at the grocery’s and reselling them at a higher price for bake sales. So you can take off your tin hat, Renjun.’ _

_ You shouldn’t trust him _ , Renjun’s voice was screaming in his mind but Mark decided not to pay him any attention. Donghyuck was safe, Donghyuck was home. Donghyuck, obnoxious yet oh-so-charming, bursting into Mark’s life with vigour, with so much love, and Mark was just a suffocating man looking for all of that like a lifeline. And they were there. Almost half a year down the line and every minute of it was spent in a blissful haze.

Mark tightened his grip on Donghyuck’s hand. It was not the time to question his words and guilt gnawed in him for having doubts. He could only justify himself that walking in the woods in complete darkness was putting him on edge.

“I can hear you thinking from here,” Donghyuck halted in his track and shone the light in Mark’s face. Mark tried to block the blinding light with his hand, but he only saw the frustration radiating from Donghyuck’s eyes. He considered for a second before a frown took over his face. “Did Renjun say something about me again?”

Mark cringed, pulling his shoulders up in hopes that he’d disappear.

“So he did,” Donghyuck whispered. “What did he try to tell you now? That I’m part of a cult? That I arranged the disappearance of my last boyfriend? Which ridiculous thing did he decide on?”

Mark wanted to save his best friend, but also, Renjun’s constant suspicion against Donghyuck was getting on both of their nerves. 

_ He’s not good for you _ , Renjun said last night, just when Mark arrived home from a date night.  _ You’re barely yourself anymore _ .

“That you brainwash me,” Mark admitted, begrudgingly under Donghyuck’s penetrating gaze. 

Donghyuck walked closer to him, backing him until he was pressed to a tree. He lovingly ran his hand on Mark’s cheek. Leaning closer, he whispered, “And do  _ you _ believe that?”

Mark tried to recall the time when he was last himself and not part of the cohort they made. He tried but he couldn’t — he didn’t want to. That was a sad life, a life without light and happiness, one that he wanted to leave behind and never look back. 

“No. I don’t.”

Donghyuck smiled at him, bright and brilliant. It ignited a fire in Mark, warming up his body to his fingertips. He reached out for Donghyuck, slipping his hands under his chin to tip his head up. The mirth in his eyes was intoxicating, and Mark felt his mind turn cottony and fuzzy.

“That’s the only thing that matters,” Donghyuck said. Mark leant down to press his lips to Donghyuck’s, stealing a kiss from him. The kiss bloomed, Donghyuck’s nimble fingers snaked into Mark’s black locks, tugging at them, pressing Mark’s body to the tree behind them. 

Mark felt Donghyuck’s heartbeat under his fingertips on his neck, wild and erratic as he licked into his mouth and caught Donghyuck’s lips between his teeth. Donghyuck let out a satisfied sound and moved to breath more kisses on his jawline, leading up to his ear. He whispered, “I know what this looks like but I promise, it'll be worth it.”

He let go of him.

Mark was scared. He felt disoriented in the woods. With the heavy darkness settling over them like a velvety blanket and the silence felt deafening in the air between them. The crunching of the leaves under their shoes was reverberating in the void surrounding them. Mark blindly followed Donghyuck, who was walking like he knew the direction.

Mark tried to shake off the feeling of being watched. In the open space of the woods, he was a prey — slow and dumb, with several of his senses masked, from the dark to Donghyuck’s overpowering perfume. He felt vulnerable even with Donghyuck’s warm palm resting against his. Suddenly, a yellowish light broke through the density of the trees, painting long shadows around them.

Donghyuck stopped, and Mark almost walked into him. With a wild smile, Donghyuck turned back. 

“We’re here,” he purred, excitedly pulling Mark to the small barren ground. 

Mark took a deep breath, relief flooding him. He took in the bonfire and the blanket. Mark turned to Donghyuck, who looked at him with palpable love and adoration.

“Have you arranged this?” Mark asked.

“Yes, of course.”

“Why?”

Without answering, Donghyuck pulled him toward the blanket, and they sat down there, in front of the fire. Donghyuck laid his head on Mark’s shoulder. The fire warmed them against the chilly wind and Donghyuck felt solid and real beside him. His whole world shifted when Donghyuck walked in, centring around him like he was the Sun of his own solar system. Mark was merely orbiting around him. 

Donghyuck took Mark's hands and began playing with his fingers. It was clear that something was bothering him. Mark glanced at him, at his messy curls, his long eyelashes, and perky nose — he was beautiful in the firelight.

“I think I’m ready,” Donghyuck said finally, his voice steady and sure.

For a moment, Mark could only blink stupidly.

“ _ Here _ ? In the forest?” Mark sputtered. 

A sudden flash of memory flew through Mark's mind, of Donghyuck lying on the soft mattress, his hair creating a halo around his head on the pillow. Their kissing escalated rather quickly, with Mark's hands dipping under his shirt, tracing down on his skin to thumb under the waistband of his underwear. Donghyuck yelped, catching Mark's wrist. 

_ ‘I'm not ready yet,’ _ Donghyuck shyly looked away, pink dusting on his cheeks.  _ ‘Just not right now, okay?' _

And now, Donghyuck was here, waiting for him. His fingers trembled when he reached out to touch Mark, to pull him closer. Momentarily, it struck him just how much he would sacrifice just to have Donghyuck. 

“I’m sure if it’s you.”

Mark cupped Donghyuck’s cheeks and leaned in to kiss him. It was slow and sweet until Donghyuck eased into it and daringly licked into his mouth. Mark's fingers slipped from his cheeks to tighten around his honey curls, pulling his head back to expose his neck. He let out a satisfied little sound that ignited the heat to spread through him, warming him up against the cold. Mark kissed and nibbled at the sensitive skin there, earning delicious sounds.

Donghyuck began undressing Mark, pushing his jacket off and slipping his hand under his hoodie. Small goosebumps arose in the wake of his touch. Mark let his own hands wander under Donghyuck’s clothes, trying to free him from them. Donghyuck caught his wrist before he could do that.

“It’s cold. Let’s leave this on,” Donghyuck said. Seeing Mark’s slight disappointment, he pushed him on his back and climbed on his lap. He leaned down to nuzzle his nose to Mark’s jawline. “Next time.”

Mark felt himself growing hard in his jeans, his cock straining against the crass confinement of the material. Donghyuck must’ve felt too because he began rolling his hips. He took a good look on Donghyuck, golden in the light like a cherub gracing Earth — his wild eyes staring back at Mark, darkened with lust, his pink mouth hanging open to spill half-repressed moans caused by the friction. 

“Like what you see?” Donghyuck asked cheekily.

Words of confirmation tumbled into Mark’s mouth, but none of them felt like they were justifying his feelings. He decided to get rid of the heavy feeling that had been residing in his chest. 

“I love you.”

Donghyuck halted for a second. Mark felt his breath catch in his throat, a panic settling over him of ruining everything with three little words and feeling too much. But Donghyuck turned to breathe a kiss into his palm, looking down at him through his impossibly long lashes.

“I love you too,” he said.

Donghyuck’s hand dropped from his face to his chest, slowly slipping down until he reached his jeans. Giving a nervous look, Donghyuck sat back and palmed him through his jeans. Mark bucked up, earning a small laugh from Donghyuck. His fingers stalled on unbuttoning the jeans — and when Mark looked up from his hands, he saw Donghyuck looking at him with something akin to sadness in his eyes.

“We don’t have to do anything,” Mark offered.

Donghyuck’s eyes flashed at him, a complete hundred and eighty degrees turn to his previous look. There was an edge to him as he opened Mark’s button and slowly slid down to face his bulge — his poise too prim, his actions too calculated.

“Yes, we do,” Donghyuck said. He leaned in and ran his tongue on his clothed member. Mark bit his lips to stop himself from moaning, and Donghyuck used this time to slip his fingers into his underwear. He began pulling it off, making Mark push his hips up. 

Donghyuck spat into his hand and took Mark’s half-hard cock, pleasuring him to full hardness. It was easy — Mark’s pent up energy about being close to Donghyuck but never close  _ enough  _ made the process quick. He was hard and aching — aching to touch Donghyuck, to be in Donghyuck, to become one with him. 

“It’s your turn,” Mark said, pushing himself up on his elbows. 

“I—” Donghyuck began, avoiding Mark’s eyes. “I’ve prepared myself. For you.”

Mark’s mouth felt dry as Donghyuck pushed him back by his chest. 

“Let me take care of you,” he said, unbuttoning his own jeans and shimming out of them. His cock curled toward his stomach. Mark reached out to touch him, but Donghyuck swatted his hand away. “Not yet.”

He climbed back on his lap, reaching back to position Mark’s cock to his entrance and slowly, he lowered himself. His mouth hung open, a breath caught in his throat. Mark gripped his hips for leverage as Donghyuck barely let himself adjust to his girth and began moving up and down.

The rush of being outside, of being in the open while Donghyuck was falling apart in his hands fogged Mark’s mind. It dulled his senses and all that mattered was that Donghyuck was there and Mark was his.

Suddenly, Donghyuck stopped and took off his clothes with one swift movement. Silvery scars swarmed on his skin, forming into runes of a language Mark didn’t understand. They looked painful, some of the gashes were still angry red and new.

With trembling fingers, he reached out to touch the skin there.

“Don’t touch me.”

Confusion settled in him at the harsh words and the hidden scars. Donghyuck was unfazed by the revelation and rolled his hips, his hands travelling from his chest to his red cock, giving it a few pumps. Any other time, Mark’d have been out of his mind seeing this, but the injuries covering Donghyuck’s body threw him off. That was the reason why he picked up the small noises of movement around them.

“What’s this?” Mark asked. He heard rustling, the sound of dozens of feet marching through the woods. He tried to look around, but Donghyuck leaned closer to him and planted his hands in his line of vision. 

“Nothing. Pay attention to me. Only me,” he commanded. Mark reluctantly looked back to him. Donghyuck bit his lips and began chasing his own pleasure, letting Mark a slip of time to search the forest.

Slowly, black figures began to appear at the edge of the forest, hidden behind trees. Mark’s breathing picked up when they opened their eyes — white light was pouring out of the sockets of their eyes, staring at them. The shadows moved closer, their eyes shining brighter with each step. 

He tried to push Donghyuck off.

“Shh, don’t be afraid,” Donghyuck shooed when he noticed Mark’s rapid breathing. He caressed his face softly. “I’m here.”

“Who are these people?” Mark asked through gasps of air. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the figures who seemed to multiply whenever he blinked. “What’s going on?”

Donghyuck’s hand slipped under his chin, forcefully turning his face to him.

“Mark, you said you trust me,” he said, disappointment dripping from his voice. Mark felt his stomach drop. “Would you do this for me?”

“What?” Mark squeaked.

One of the figures moved closer — but despite the firelight illuminating the small space, its body stayed black. It was like looking into a void. It moved and passed something to Donghyuck’s hands. 

A knife. The sharp edge glinted in the light as Donghyuck inspected it with an ever-growing smile. On the knife, runes were carved, similar to the ones adorning his body. 

Donghyuck took Mark’s hand and wrapped his frozen fingers around the hilt. Mark watched the menacing glint in Donghyuck’s eyes as he moved his hand to press the edge of the knife to Mark’s throat. A trickle of warm blood rolled down on his neck and tears welled in his eyes.

“Why are you crying?” Donghyuck cooed. He pushed the knife even closer but not tearing into the skin. “Mark, don’t you remember? Don’t you remember how alone and miserable you were before I came? _ I  _ saved you. It’s time you repaid that.”

The shadows formed a wall now, a vast plain of void, their bright eyes burning them with their gazes. They began chanting in deep, guttural voices. 

Donghyuck bucked down to his ear. 

“Please, do this for me,” he whispered, thumbing away the teardrops from his cheeks. “Let your sacrifice show that you’ve really loved me.”

“Why?” Mark managed to utter.

“ _ Why _ ? Because I need you, Mark. My brothers and sisters, they also need you. Our Lord — he needs you too. He needs a body, and Mark, yours the honour to be his shell. You’re his chosen one,” Donghyuck explained fiercely, holding Mark’s face. 

Mark saw the loveliness in his eyes, but it was hollow and almost unrecognizable. It was misted over with something like an obsession.

“You led me on,” Mark realized, broken.

“No, Mark. I put you on the right path.” Donghyuck ran his fingers through Mark’s hair. “You said you loved me.”

The fire beside them flared up and Donghyuck fearfully looked up. Mark wasn’t sure what he'd seen that made him so scared, but he watched as the scars reopened on Donghyuck’s chest one by one as the time ticked by, making Donghyuck scream with pain.

“Quickly, Mark.” Donghyuck urged him through gritted teeth. The pain in his face was breaking Mark’s heart — it was Donghyuck, after all. The only person who truly mattered, hurting. And he could stop it. “Your journey does not end here.”

Mark gripped the knife. He took one last look at Donghyuck, to etch the memory in his mind, to take it with him as a souvenir. He took the knife out of Donghyuck’s hand, to make the sacrifice on his own. 

With tears pouring, he said, “This is for you. Only you.”

Mark slit his throat.


End file.
